Matt and the Solo Hunt

Bringing Maddy along on his solo hunt may have been a mistake. But it also may have been one of the best decisions of his life.

A mistake because Maddy was beautiful. The most beautiful woman Matt had ever seen. And she liked him. She'd actually relented to kissing him a few times, and she seemed as if she enjoyed it. But then Matt could never tell with women whether they really liked him or were just teasing. Usually they were just teasing, trying to see what they could get out of him, how far they could go.

Best decision because Maddy would go along with whatever he wanted for the scenes she needed to get. She was easy to get along with and never bossed him around. She let him do his own thing and she worked around him. She was quick to set up and quick to take down. Quick to be on to a different thing.

It was raining as they walked. Always raining.

Maddy walked close beside him, their hands brushed a couple of times. And then Matt stuck out his fingers and caught hers, entangling them with his own. She pretended not to notice. He smirked.

"How much farther?" she asked softly.

"Just over that rise," he said and nodded to the small rise of a hill a few hundred feet ahead of them. She nodded.

It was midday. Matt thought they might find a deer by late afternoon, and then they could head home. They shouldn't be gone too long.

Well... he was wrong.

There was a storm coming up, and quick. They got over the rise and into some trees. They made their camp just in time for the heavy rains to come pouring down on them. They huddled in the tent for the rest of the day and into the next.

Matt spent the next three days searching, traipsing through the wet forest, and a constant light drizzle. It was cold and dreary. They had intended to sleep separately, but had wound up making one bed and huddling under the blankets, trying to keep warm in the wet weather.

Three days of searching, trying to get a good shot. But his hands shook too much. He was frustrated with... with everything. With not being able to do this. Not being able to prove himself. Especially with Madison with him. He wanted to show HER, of all people, that he could do this. That he could be a good provider. But he wasn't. He was a failure.

And having her so near was part of the problem. When they slept together, that was all they did. Sleeping. It was for warmth, he had tried to convince himself it was nothing more than that. But in the dark of night, all he did was think about taking her.

He frowned down at his hands. The physical manefestation of his frustrations.

"You need to lighten up," she said softly as she took his cold hands in her warm ones. Her fingers caressing his battered knuckles and bent fingers.

Matt sighed and nodded.

"I know what will help you loosen up," she whispered and stepped closer.

"Do you?" he asked and smiled a little. A hopeful smile. But he knew it was no use. If it hadn't happened by now, it wasn't going to--

And then they were in the wet grass. She was ontop of him, kissing him silly again. He chuckled in relief when she moved away to remove her shirt. She shivered and his hands were on her. He pulled her down.

"We have blankets, you know," he said.

"I want to feel the rain," she said into his neck. Her hot breath scorched him. "I want to feel you."

Matt grunted. "I want to feel you, too," he said roughly. He sat up, bringing her up with him, she was straddling his legs. Her hands went to his t-shirt and it was raised over his head. He shivered from the cool air.